Corporations to cover most costs in Minneapolis' bid for 2018 Super Bowl

Blog Post by: Rochelle Olson

May 7, 2014 - 10:41 AM

The 2018 Super Bowl bid will be mind-blowing.

That's how US Bancorp Chief Executive Officer Richard Davis described it in a presentation to the media Wednesday morning.

To be exact, he said, "We're going to put together a plan that will blow their mind." Davis was talking about the presentation the crew is giving to the 32 NFL owners in Atlanta in two weeks as well as the Super Bowl week.

He spoke for nearly an hour to reporters along with Ecolab Chief Doug Baker and Carlson Cos. Marilyn Carlson Nelson. The trio represent the co-chairs of the committee aiming to bring the 2018 game to the Twin Cities. The region - along with Indianapolis and New Orleans - is a finalist for the game.

On May 20, the cities make closed-door presentations to the NFL owners at their meetings in Atlanta, then wait outside for the word while the owners vote.

Davis said the corporate response to the bid has been tremendous, that within the first week, 75 percent of the money needed to put on the game was raised and now 85 percent has been raised. The estimated $30-$40 million will be there, he said.

Notably, Davis also said the money will go to cover extra security costs so cities won't be facing big overtime bills for security and traffic control.

Off the top, Davis said he wouldn't reveal "themes or secret weapons" in the bid or the details. The panel is concerned about the other two cities monitoring the news and gaining an edge.

He asked reporters in the room to "be a visceral competitor for this city."

At the center of the bid, he noted, is the "iconic" new stadium set to open in 2016. He and the others talked about the cutting-edge facility. Davis dismissed the stadium opponents with, "We're going to build a new stadium; get over it."

He and the others repeatedly said the pitch and the week of Super Bowl events are an opportunity to celebrate winter and tell the Minnesota story.